Winter Storm
by Lily Kalanoa
Summary: Tasuki and Chichiri have been travelling together for a long time now. But when an accident threatens to tear the monk away, Tasuki is forced to face his feelings and decide what to do about them. Shounen Ai, almost blanket fic. Please enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Author**: Lily Kalanoa

**Story**: Winter Storm

**Genre**: Fushigi Yuugi – romance / angst

**Rating**: T / PG13

**Warnings**: Yaoi. Angst. Uh, nothing else I can think of.

**Pairings**: Tasuki / Chichiri, eventually.

**Spoilers**: A few for the end of the series and several for Chichiri's past.

**Author** **Notes**: Wow, I'm finally posting this! I got on my FY kick like three years ago and that's when I wrote this. Just recently I went back, finished, and polished it for your enjoyment. I really love Chichiri, but I'm sort of mean to him, and Tasuki is just so adorable! This starts off as a blanket fic, but it has more plot than that. Please enjoy, R&R!

-o-o-o-o-o-

"_Tasuki-kun, we should turn back, no da."_

Tasuki shook his head, responding aloud to the remembered statement. "We're almost there. It'll take forever to get back." Tasuki shivered in the fresh-falling snow. Why did he have to be so damn stubborn?

"_It's raining na no da. And we're getting higher in the mountains. These roads are dangerous, no da."_

Tasuki shook his head violently. When he stopped, dizzy from the wild motion, he couldn't tell which direction he'd been going and started trudging again randomly, pushing through the snow drifts with determination.

"_We should at least stop. There are bound to be some caves in these mountains. If it starts to snow. . . Please, Tasuki. I'm cold, no da."_

_The monk's speech affliction had gone dangerously silent. The final 'no da' had been added after a slight pause, almost as an afterthought. It was enough to make Tasuki stop and turn to face the other man. He searched for some clue as to the monk's apprehension, but was met with no more than a smiling face. "We're almost there, Chichiri. Even with the storm, it'll take less than an hour to get there."_

_Chichiri hesitated, clearly thinking it over. As the two stood there, the freezing droplets of rain seemed to hesitate as well, turning into softer, wafting snowflakes. The first snow of the season. Chichiri visibly darkened. "These roads are not safe in winter, no da. I'm tired and cold, na no da."_

_Tasuki held out one hand suddenly, his eyes shining. "Come on, Chichiri. We can make it there in no time. I'll carry you even."_

_The monk hesitated. Finally he stepped forward to once again continue their trek up the mountain. Encouraged, Tasuki started walking again, too, keeping a few steps ahead of his companion. He reached over his back and pulled out his tessen. Handing it to the monk, he whispered the incantation, causing the metal to heat, but no flame to appear. "This'll keep you warm. And we'll be there before you know it."_

_Chichiri smiled beneath his mask and took the offered fan. "But we must hurry. It really isn't safe, no da."_

_The two men did hurry along the narrow mountain roads, eager to reach the next town quickly and get out of the weather. In his rush, Tasuki wasn't aware of falling until his equilibrium was completely on its side. His boot had found a patch of ice, proving that this wasn't the first snow of the season after all, just the first of the evening. Tasuki let out a startled cry, twisting and frantically catching at a protruding tree._

"_Tasuki!" The bandit's head turned towards Chichiri's scream and watched as his friend leapt forward, outstretched hand questing for Tasuki's. Tasuki watched in shock as the monk's footing failed him, undoubtedly finding the exact same patch of ice, and he tumbled over the side of the road. He stared, unable to move, as the slimmer man disappeared into darkness._

That had been two days ago. Since the former seishi had fallen, the moon had set, the sun had risen and set, and the moon was once again on its decent towards morning. Thirty hours, maybe more. And Tasuki had spent every minute of it scouring the mountainside. He had to find Chichiri; it was his fault the monk was in this mess to begin with. He had to find him . . .

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Rekka Shinnen." The words were whispered, barely making any sound at all, but they worked. The metal of the fan heated almost unbearably, warming the body it was clutched against. Chichiri allowed his gaze to lose focus as he remembered his fall. _He was being so stubborn. If Tasuki had just turned around . . ._ But the bandit had been right, it was too far. They had been traveling since before the sun had risen that morning and their destination had been an hour away, at most, despite the storm. But it hadn't been safe, as he had proven.

The tessen was cooling rapidly and Chichiri muttered the incantation again. _It's not lasting as long . . . My ki is almost gone._ The realization was one he'd been expecting, but had not been ready for. If he exhausted his ki, he'd most likely fall asleep within minutes and be dead in barely more than that.

Dismayed by the thought, Chichiri took mental stock of his condition. It was not looking good in the slightest. The snow hadn't let up at all the last day and, unable to move, this meant the monk was covered in several inches of fluffy powder. The tessen melted much of it, but that presented a new problem in the form of ice water pooling around his right elbow. He couldn't feel it, though. He couldn't feel any of his limbs except a dull ache in his broken leg.

His mind began to wander, recalling his time with his friends in bits and snatches. Talking with Miaka beside the lake. Fighting beside Tasuki. Gathering herbs with Chiriko. Going out drinking with Tamahome . . . Hikou . . . Studying with Mitsukake. Poking fun at Nuriko. Going to Taiitsu-kun after . . . after . . . Kouran . . .

He was crying. Chichiri gasped as the tears cooled against his cheek despite the paper mask he still wore. He gazed at the metal fan in his grip, cold once again. "R-rekka shin-n-nen-n." The fan flared again and Chichiri slipped back into his reverie, this time staring at the small pool of water beside him. A trained eye stared at the reflection and through the eye slits in the mask. His eye looked glassy and what skin he could see was nearly as pale as the snow. His gaze refocused on his own mouth, barely visible past the thin paper, and nearly as blue as his hair.

His eye slipped closed, surrendering to the chill surrounding him and the heavy fan against his chest. "Kouran," he whispered. There was a sound off to his right and Chichiri forced himself to look that way, sudden hope rising in his chest. "Here!" The cry came out silent and the monk coughed, trying to clear his throat. "I'm hurt! Here!" It came out little more than a hoarse whisper and the noise began to move away.

_This is no good. I'm lost if I don't get out of here now._ Thinking seemed difficult, but an idea formed in Chichiri's mind. With determination, he forced numb fingers to tighten around his staff. He struggled for several moments to lift the normally light rod to no avail. Hopes falling again, he realized he'd barely moved in nearly two days, his muscles were frozen solid and his nerves were numbed to the point that he could barely feel anything. Still, he managed to lift the staff slightly and the faint clang of metal on metal spurred him on. He struggled to get it to ring louder, but soon felt his arm drop, exhausted nearly to the point that he passed out.

It had been enough. The crashing noise was moving towards him again. In moments, the tall grass was pushed aside, an overhanging branch sidestepped, and Tasuki came into view. Chichiri waited, breath held, for others to appear behind him, but none came. Surely Tasuki hadn't come alone? The bandit looked stunned. He took a few steps forward, his feet heavy and clumsy – "Chiri . . . I found you," – before his balance failed him and he toppled to the ground.

The bandit landed partially on top of Chichiri, tearing a cry from the monk's throat as his leg was jarred. _Just moments ago I was complaining about not being able to feel my leg . . . _"Tasuki . . . where are the others?"

The redhead pushed himself up, gazing at the other man, confused. "Others?"

"From the village. Didn't you find some people to help you search?"

"Chiri – I didn't make it to the village, I started looking for you right away."

Chichiri let his breath out quickly in a huff of disdain. "Lot of good it did us. We're both going to freeze to death now." Tasuki shook his head and rose to his hands and knees. Chichiri continued, the small rant warming his ill-used lips however briefly. "Look at you, you're exhausted. Tasuki, I broke my leg, I can't walk out of here!"

"Then I'll just have to make good on my earlier offer and carry you, ne?"

Chichiri's eye widened. "You . . . you can't! All the way to the village?"

"There are some caves I passed a while back. Only a mile or two-"

"Tasuki, you can't possibly-!"

But the bandit seemed determined. He struggled to his feet, lifting Chichiri, again drawing a pained cry as his leg was disturbed. "Come on, Chichiri. We can make it there in no time." The redhead whispered, the words echoing familiarity to both men.

Chichiri gasped as he felt the chill of Tasuki's skin even through his light shirt. He steadied himself, focusing on meditations to become lighter, easier to manage, anything to ease his savior's trek. He also gripped the tessen tightly. In this position it was sandwiched between the two men. "Rekka Shinnen." The monk said the words with as much force as he could muster, louder than his entire conversation earlier.

Tasuki gasped as the metal suddenly heated against his chest. He wavered and had to stop a moment to regain his balance. "That feels good, Chiri. Don't worry; I'll get you out of here."

-o-o-o-o-o-

Just as Tasuki had said, there was a small cave not far from where the monk had fallen. And true to his word, Tasuki carried his friend to the entrance. Only a few feet inside, however, the bandit had finally reached his limits. He stumbled and then toppled to the ground on top of Chichiri. The injured monk screamed outright as his leg was pinned at an odd angle, but Tasuki made no move. Chichiri summoned all his strength to reach down to his friend, worried that he may have pushed himself too far. The bandit was pale and sweating, despite the temperature, but he was still breathing steadily. His lips were even tipped up in a relieved smile. However, he was not waking up. Chichiri repeatedly called his friend's name and did his best to shake him, but there was no waking the younger man. _He's all right, but he's exhausted._ His own small actions were enough to tire the monk as well. He was safe here, protected from the wind and snow, and warm trapped beneath his friend's body. The last of his energy fled as quickly as a startled lizard and Chichiri had no choice but to finally surrender to sleep.

Tasuki woke some time later, several aches and bruises competing for his immediate attention. Ignoring them all, Tasuki lifted his head to look at Chichiri. The monk showed no obvious signs of life and Tasuki reached to find a pulse, praying it would be there. A large sigh of relief left him as he found the thread of life, fairly strong even, if a little slow. He rolled to the side to free the older man, his body protesting every tiny movement. There was little time to tend himself, however. Chichiri was ice cold to the touch and his clothes were drenched. Tasuki's shirt was soaked through just from carrying him.

Quickly the fire seishi set about warming his friend. The first task was to get him dry. Suddenly his hands shook as he unfastened the monk's shirt and peeled it back from his chest. The smooth expanse of skin was terribly pale and equally cold. Tasuki could barely look away. He licked his lips and swallowed to return moisture to his throat and repeated the process with the monk's pants. Tasuki sighed again, fighting off the blush in his cheeks. Quickly he pulled off his own jacket, covering the monk with it.

Retrieving the tessen from the floor, Tasuki poked his head out the opening of the cave. After a moment of looking, he withdrew. No hope of starting a fire without some dry wood and there was no chance of finding any of that. That conclusion made, he muttered the incantation to warm the fan and slipped it beneath the jacket, resting it on the monk's icy chest. It didn't help him as much, but it would help Chichiri. His task done, Tasuki sat against the stone wall to keep watch.

-o-o-o-o-o-

**A / N:** Hope you all like, please tell me what you think regardless. There's a couple more chapters, not sure how long I'll wait to post those. Maybe just a day. Anyway, see you then.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author**: Lily Kalanoa

**Story**: Winter Storm

**Genre**: Fushigi Yuugi – romance / angst

**Rating**: T / PG13

**Warnings**: Yaoi. Angst. Uh, nothing else I can think of.

**Pairings**: Tasuki / Chichiri, eventually.

**Spoilers**: A few for the end of the series and several for Chichiri's past.

**Author** **Notes**: Ah, I'm so sad. Apparently there's not a very large FY following on ff. Oh well, thank you to everyone who did read and continues to read. Seiru, nice to meet you! And tasukigirl! You were reading 'An Heir' weren't you? I'm updating that again, if you haven't seen. Anyway, I'm so glad everyone seems to like this, though I'm a little sad for the low views (and reviews). On this story, I'm not begging for reviews as much, I mostly just want to finaly post this, it's been waiting for attention for far too long. I do like the way it turned out, I hope you all do too. Enough babbling, here's the next part for you to enjoy.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Tasuki reclined against the wall, watching his friend sleep. It hadn't taken long for the monk to fall back into slumber; a true sign that he was really hurt. Tasuki sighed again. If this were the old days, Mitsukake could heal him in minutes. But this wasn't the old days. Chichiri would have to heal the old fashioned way, his own healing spells not nearly as effective. And they'd been moving around so much, aggravating the wound, the monk would be lucky not to walk with a limp in the future.

His eyes were slipping closed and Tasuki shook himself to stay awake. With a groan of true protest from his aching joints, the fire seishi stood and began to explore the cave. He stayed near the entrance, not wanting to lose what little light filtered in through the storm outside. And not wanting to let Chichiri out of his sight.

Of course, he wanted to rest. He _needed_ to sleep. The few hours he'd gotten earlier had been nothing. Nearing forty-eight hours of searching in snow, being awake even longer than that, his body could not be pushed any further. But he lived in harmony with his mortal vessel and it knew he needed to be awake. He had awoken once he crossed the line of unbearable exhaustion, but he had gotten no time to rebuild his energy stores and that boundary was quickly approaching again.

Tasuki reached the end of the light and gazed into the inky blackness in front of him. Curious, he picked up a small stone and hurled it into the nothingness. He pulled back in shock when the stone rebounded, hitting him squarely in the forehead. Even more curious now, Tasuki reached out his hand. A few inches forward and he encountered cold stone. Well, that answered how deep the cave was. Bored again, the bandit headed back to his companion.

Tasuki settled down again with a shiver. He had to admit, it was a whole lot colder without his coat, but at least he was dressed for this kind of weather. He was a bandit – a mountain bandit at that – and his wardrobe had been selected accordingly, from his thick lined boots to his warm pants and heavy coat. Not like the monk he traveled with, dressed only in light pants and shirt. Tasuki debated for a moment before indulging himself. He lifted his coat turned blanket, allowing some of the trapped warm air to billow out to greet him and gazing at the vision beneath it.

Chichiri had been out for quite a while, but Tasuki could see that he was improving considerably, the skin around the tessen especially starting to regain some color. Briefly Tasuki wondered if his face was that pale and reached for his mask.

He was barely able to stop himself, knowing what would happen if he removed that mask. He'd almost lost himself once already when he'd undressed the monk. They had been traveling together for so long, Tasuki had grown accustomed to the other man's presence and the thought of being apart from him was too much to bear. He'd been denying his feelings for a long time now, but seeing Chichiri fall away into darkness had forced Tasuki to own up to them. To the fact that if the monk died, there was no reason for him to go on living. If he gazed upon his unmasked visage again, he wasn't sure he could keep from kissing the older man. As it was, the only thing stopping him was the knowledge that the thin paper barrier was in his way.

His hand had strayed without his realizing it and now rested lightly against the monk's chin. His fingers even pinched the delicate paper, poised to remove it. He stopped cold, knowing what would happen if he did remove it, but unable to pull away.

"It's all right, Tasuki. I know a lot of people are uncomfortable seeing my scar."

The words startled the flame haired man and he pulled away, pressing his back against the cold stone wall. "It ain't that, Chiri. It's just . . . I . . . Er . . ." Tasuki frowned and lowered his eyes. "Sorry to wake ya, you need yer rest."

Chichiri struggled up into a sitting position. "It's okay. I'm awake now, I don't think I can get back to sleep. Don't you need your rest? I can keep watch."

Tasuki shook his head immediately. "Yer hurt, buddy. I'm fine, but you're actually really hurt." There was more than a little self blame in his voice and Tasuki heard Chichiri sigh. "But since you are up, I guess we should see to your leg, eh?"

Chichiri winced, as if the mere mention of the break made it hurt more. "You're right," the monk muttered and lay back down. "Do you have everything you need for this?"

Tasuki shook his head. "Got everything we need right here. I'm gonna use your staff for the splint, all right? It'll be awkward, but strong." The bandit repositioned, kneeling at the monk's feet. "Brace yourself, Chiri, this is really gonna hurt."

Chichiri nodded, gripping the jacket on top of him tightly. Tasuki grabbed his friend's foot and started counting. "On three. One. Two." Without proper warning, Tasuki pulled hard on the monk's foot. Chichiri screamed loudly as the limb was twisted, forcing the bone back in place. When Tasuki pulled away at last, Chichiri was panting heavily; he had not been ready for that. Tasuki was right there, talking constantly to the monk. "You okay, buddy? That was the hard part, we're almost done now."

Just at that moment, Chichiri was unable to reply, but he nodded dazedly. He was aware of Tasuki scurrying around him. Fetching his staff and pressing it against his side. Wrapping the whole length of his leg in . . . something. He looked down to see the bandit was using his own belt and several pieces of fabric that looked suspiciously like the ones he wrapped around his wrists and ankles. "Tasuki-"

"Almost done, hang in there."

Chichiri obeyed, shutting his mouth and laying his head back, focusing on anything other than the pain. Slowly his mind drifted to the past, naturally recalling the happiest memories he held. Unfortunately, those memories were of Kouran and the good quickly gave way to the bad. The pain, both physical and emotional, closed in on the monk and a pained sob threatened to escape him. "Kouran . . ." he whispered.

Tasuki looked up at the sound only to see his friend was crying. At least, he thought he was crying. It was hard to tell, but it was hard to mistake the whimpers that escaped him. The fire seishi immediately decided to ignore the spoken name, pretending he hadn't heard it. He tied the last knot securely and moved so he was nearer the other man's head. "Shit, man. I know it hurts, but we can get through this. You'll be better in no time, just wait and see."

"I . . . Tasuki, I . . ."

The bandit's hands were moving again without his permission and he gently gripped the frail paper mask on each side. He pulled it away slowly, drinking in the surprise on the other man's face. "It'll be okay, Chiri. I swear I'll get you trough this." _Caution be damned!_ Tasuki rested his hand against the right side of Chichiri's face and bent slowly towards his lips. The monk's eyes widened – though whether from fear or anticipation, Tasuki wasn't sure. At the last moment, the bandit seemed to come back to himself a bit and the gentle kiss landed instead on a scarred cheek.

Tasuki stood, face burning, and went to the cave's opening. He stood there for some time in silence and when he finally turned back around, Chichiri was unconscious again. The bandit knelt again beside his companion, resting a hand on his forehead. He thought so; the monk was burning with fever. And the storm showed no sign of letting up. Tasuki sighed: they had to get to town . . .

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chichiri's sleep was restless. For a long time he hovered on the brink of wakefulness when the body seems to be asleep but the mind is active. He would slip into slumber, dreaming of Kouran and Houki, but he kept returning to that almost awake state. It was almost like he was moving – on a wagon or something. Twice, he was sure he would be sick, but somehow he avoided it. And it was warm, so blissfully warm. Heat radiated into his body from both sides, lulling him into a deeper sleep time and time again.

Chichiri hovered on wakefulness again. It felt as if he were surrounded by warmth and softness and he was tempted to give in to slumber once again. His stomach, however, and his bladder protested the surrender loudly. Fluttering his eyes open, Chichiri looked around automatically for Tasuki, expecting the same grey stone walls he had fallen asleep to. The monk sat bolt upright when he saw neither. Instead his eyes were greeted with paper walls and warm, fluffy beds. There was an older man kneeling beside one of the other beds, apparently tending to another sick person. He looked up at Chichiri and smiled. "You're finally awake."

Chichiri looked around wildly. Beside his bed were his things, his clothing folded neatly and his beads and mask resting within his hat. "Where am I?"

"Why, you've finally made it to town, young man." Chichiri stared at him, clear disbelief on his face. "Your friend left, only telling us that you'd been hurt trying to get here. You've slept nearly a day straight."

"I don't understand. How did I get here?"

"He carried you. Got to the city gates and yelled for us to let him in. Barely heard him over the storm. I was actually starting to worry he'd gone to the trouble for nothing, but you're awake now."

"Where did he go?" Chichiri couldn't imagine. That whole trip, carrying his dead weight? This couldn't be what happened. He'd find Tasuki and ask what happened himself.

Chichiri was starting to push himself up, but the old man's hand settled onto his shoulder and pushed him back down. "Where do you think you're going? I'm sorry, but your friend left earlier today, we barely got him to rest and eat before he was gone. But regardless, you aren't going anywhere until that leg of yours heals. My guess, you'll be in that bed at least a week and it'll have to stay splinted longer than that."

Chichiri settled uncomfortably back onto the futon. He didn't like the idea, but he had to admit even that small movement had hurt quite a bit. "When you say he left . . ?"

"He left the city entirely. Said to tell you that Mt. Leikaku was only a few days journey from here and that you'd know what that meant."

Chichiri felt the energy drain out of him. "He went home." He slipped his eye closed and, ignoring the protests of his stomach, meditated until he was slumbering peacefully once more.

-o-o-o-o-o-

**A / N: **Ah, good to see our seishi safe and sound, ne? Not together, but at least safe. Please review. I'll probably post the next chapter Friday, if I remember, so I'll see you then. (PS Reviews help me remember)


	3. Chapter 3

**Author**: Lily Kalanoa

**Story**: Winter Storm

**Genre**: Fushigi Yuugi – romance / angst

**Rating**: T / PG13

**Warnings**: Yaoi. Angst. Uh, nothing else I can think of.

**Pairings**: Tasuki / Chichiri, eventually.

**Spoilers**: A few for the end of the series and several for Chichiri's past.

**Author** **Notes**: See, I told you I'd forget! Sa, anyway, very good to see you back tasukigirl and Seira! Even if it were just you two, I'd post this for you! Sa, poor Tasuki-kun, he's an idoit, ne? Don't worry, Chiri'll figure it out. He's stubborn that way.Wai wai! I got another reviewer! DPFYLUVR welcome to my insanity. I must ask what your name means, though. I think the FY is Fushigi Yuugi, which you clearly luv, but DP? Ah well, regardless, here's the next piece for you all. The fourth and final chapter may not go up until next week, but it's worth waiting for. Look for it Monday or Tuesday!

-o-o-o-o-o-

The week passed slowly for the masked monk. He hardly moved from bed except to relieve himself. Twice a day he was helped to stand and move around so as not to grow weak, but other than that he spent his time in bed. Once his ki had returned, the process went a little faster and Chichiri spent his spare time – and he had a lot of it – mending his tattered clothing. By the time he could stand on his own with only the aid of a crutch, his things were better than new, holes and tears that were months old having been repaired by magic.

Chichiri wished such spells worked as well on his body. In addition to his leg, there were healing burns on his chest and hand from the metal fan. He had suspected as much, but at the time hadn't even felt the burns over the mind numbing cold.

Chichiri had woken early that morning and gotten dressed with great care, his movements still very awkward and clumsy. Despite the doctor's protests, he stumbled out into the city streets and watched the snow fall. The skies, clear during his recovery, had darkened again the day before. Almost as if the snow were determined to keep Chichiri where he was. But the monk had no intention of traveling the dangerous mountain roads today. And he would not be kept here either. Chichiri focused, drawing up the spell in his mind. Whipping off his kesa, he set it on the ground and stepped into it, teleporting himself away from here. He did not know the landscape of Mt. Leikaku well enough to appear in the bandit hideout. Besides, there was no guarantee the bandits wouldn't slice him to pieces. So Chichiri blinked in the darkness and the next thing he saw were buildings surrounding him as he appeared in the village at the base of the mountain.

And the next thing he saw was the mud of the ground as his leg gave out beneath his weight. It was raining here, too. The entire countryside must be at the mercy of these early winter storms. Chichiri shivered, trying to push himself back up off the ground. There was nothing to do about it, he'd have to find an inn. Even if he'd normally brave this particular mountain in a storm, he couldn't do it while injured. At least one more night before he could confront Tasuki.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chichiri woke with a start, unsure what had awoken him. Dazed from slumber, it took several moments to recognize the screams and shouts coming from outside. Struggling to move quickly, the monk climbed out of bed. He donned his kesa and hat as he limped to the door.

No sooner had he entered the hallway than the innkeeper was beside him, clutching at his arm. "Please, sir, you're a monk, are you not?" Chichiri nodded uncertainly and the man bowed deeply. "Please, bandits are attacking the town, you must help us. Your room is, of course, on the house, so please . . ." Chichiri nodded, falling back just long enough to grab his staff and crutch before heading to the door.

Outside was complete madness. It was black as pitch and still raining heavily. Everywhere Chichiri looked, people were running, terrified. Several nearly collided with the monk as he struggled against the tide and towards the battle.

"Rekka Shinen!" Chichiri heard the shout and looked around, trying to find the flame, but could not see it. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise, saving him the trouble of climbing another mountain in the rain. But Tasuki wasn't the type to attack a village like this, the Leikaku bandits weren't the type.

Several men ran past, being chased by large wolves. One of the men was yelling at the others, "They aren't real! Turn around and fight the stupid things!" Yet he ran as quickly as his companions.

Getting closer to the heart of the battle, Chichiri could hear more of the bandits' shouts. "Get them out of this city! I don't want them in my city!"

"We can take these mountain jerks!"

"Don't give up ground!"

"Rekka Shinen!"

Chichiri looked around, but still couldn't see the flame those words would have brought forward. At least it made more sense now. It wasn't the Leikaku bandits attacking the town, they were simply fighting another group of bandits. A bolt of lightning peeled across the sky and for the briefest moment Chichiri could see the entire battle clearly. He recognized many of the Leikaku bandits and their rivals all wore tunics emblazoned with their group's symbol.

Then the light was gone, and the night seemed even darker than before. Chichiri considered using a spell for light, but that would make him an easy target, so he just fumbled through the darkness. It wasn't like he was the only one out there not fighting, there were townsfolk everywhere. Chichiri made his way towards these people, repeatedly deflecting bandits. He stopped in front of a little girl, blocking an attack gone astray and looked around.

Chichiri had stopped in the middle of a courtyard, where the bulk of the battle was taking place. The Leikaku bandits were clearly winning, but the intruders were putting up a fight. Suddenly a bandit caught sight of Chichiri, swinging a blunted machete at his head. The monk reacted on instinct, blocking up with his staff, both hands wrapping around the metal to lend it more strength. The blow was deflected easily enough, but with nothing to help him stand, Chichiri was on the ground before he knew what had happened. He was already moving, defending the bandit's next attack before it even came. He swept the man, disrupting him as he also crashed to the ground. Now on equal footing, so to speak, he was able to disarm his attacker – the man scrambled away, climbing to his feet again but leaving the monk in peace.

Chichiri looked up at a startled voice calling his name. In moments, Kouji was beside him, hauling him to his feet. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Chichiri waved off the question, drawing the man's attention to another attacking bandit. Once the threat was taken care of, the monk looked at the younger man closely. "Kouji-san, what's going on? Who are these people?"

The bandit laughed, gesturing at the battle around them. "Genrou came back at the perfect time. These jerks've been trying to overthrow us for weeks now. We can hold our own against them, but it really helps having him back. Might've been a trick, though, seein' as they're ganging up on him. I wonder if they just wanted the tessen, or maybe they just have a grudge against Genrou-"

"Kouji-san, please. There's no time for this. Where _is_ Tasuki?" Kouji pointed across the court and Chichiri headed that direction, thanking the bandit quickly. Drawing closer to the heart of the battle, Chichiri could finally see the bright hair of his friend as well as the flames that came from him. He'd nearly reached the bandit when their eyes met and Chichiri could clearly read his name on the man's startled lips.

One of the enemy bandits broke off, making a beeline for the monk. Tasuki was on the man in a second, bringing him painfully to the ground. Chichiri cursed, knowing what would happen next. The bandit had seen Tasuki's weakness, and by stopping him, Tasuki had only proven it right. Three other men broke away, sprinting towards Chichiri eagerly. Tasuki darted back to his feet, but the other bandits had too much of a lead.

Chichiri fell back a step, raising his staff to defend. Before the attackers had even reached him, though, something solid hit him from behind, sending him toppling forward again. Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, keeping him mostly upright while another hand tangled in his hair, forcing his head back. Something cold and slightly sharp pressed against his throat and Chichiri could see the shock ripple over his friend's face as he froze in place.

Behind him, Chichiri could hear one of the bandits growl in Tasuki's direction. "It's time to end this, Genrou. Your time's up. Hand over that fan now or lose him." The hand in his hair tightened, emphasizing the point.

For a long minute Tasuki just stared. He didn't make any move to attack, but wouldn't let the others approach him either. He clearly wasn't willing to give up, but he couldn't endanger the monk either. Chichiri smiled, his mask copying the motion, and he could see Tasuki's focus sharpen on him. "Tasuki-kun, what are you waiting for? Don't you want these guys out of you village na no da?"

The smile came easily to the bandit's lips and his posture changed, instantly relaxed. "Now that you mention it, Chiri, yeah. I really do want these bastards off my mountain. Rekka-" Chichiri twisted, ignoring the flashes of pain in his leg, and jerked away from the arms restraining him. "-Shinen!"

It was only a matter of minutes before the last of their attackers fled. Amidst the cheering, Chichiri struggled again to corner Tasuki and demand an explanation. When he finally got the man aside from the others, he did his best glare. "Quite an exciting day."

Tasuki smiled, chuckling before he looked at the monk evenly. "Bunch o' trouble makers. Thanks for the help, Chiri. I owe you a drink for that."

"You owe me more than-"

The flame haired man darted to the side, one hand catching Kouji as he rushed past. "I knew you'd follow me out here, but I assumed you'd at least wait until you were healed properly. Kouji, you'll help get him home, right?"

Kouji nodded immediately and Tasuki ran off again, leaving Chichiri gaping after him. Kouji just smiled, quickly bending and pressing against the monk's side. "Up the mountain we go!"

Chichiri spluttered in protest, trying to move to stand on his own. "I can walk, you know."

"Genrou wouldn't want to risk it."

"I can use a spell to get us there in less than a minute!"

"Chiri . . . I gotta ask you something." Chichiri stopped his struggles, looking at the man curiously. "Did something happen between the two of you? You and Genrou, I mean."

The monk sighed, settling into the uneven gait as they started over the muddy terrain. "I'm honestly not sure, no da. I apparently had a pretty bad fever, na no da . . . I'm not sure how much of that was real."

Kouji chose not to comment. For several minutes the two walked in silence. Chichiri didn't miss the change in the normally talkative man's behavior, silently waiting for him to speak first. Finally the bandit began with a sigh, "He's shaken. Bad. Whatever happened, it messed him up. And somehow, you're at the center of it. He ain't been right since he came back and he won't tell me about it. Me!" For another minute, he was quiet. "You gotta fix this, Chiri. I'm pretty sure only you can."

-o-o-o-o-o-

**A / N:** I had meant for this to be the last chappie, but I didn't like the way it was chopped up, so 4 it is. I also wanted the battle scene to be longer-ugh-I suck so bad at writing battles. Sigh. Oh well, see you next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author**: Lily Kalanoa

**Story**: Winter Storm

**Genre**: Fushigi Yuugi – romance / angst

**Rating**: T / PG13

**Warnings**: Yaoi. Angst. Uh, nothing else I can think of.

**Pairings**: Tasuki / Chichiri, eventually.

**Spoilers**: A few for the end of the series and several for Chichiri's past.

**Author** **Notes**: Hello all! See, look, I remembered when I said I was going to post! This is the last chapter, so I must make my final gestures of love to my three faithful reviewers. DPFYLUVER, thanks for reading. Danny Phantom, eh? I have to say that is actually a pretty good show - especially considering some of the other American cartoons out there. I'm glad you like my angst. Seira is so sweet, she liked my battle scene! I have such a hard time with battles, though I am better now than I was. Poor Tasuki, I think you'll like Chiri's way to deal with the situation. And tasukigirl, of course. Always good to see you, I hope you've enjoyed the read (insert smiley here because ff is stupid and they don't show up) Ah, and on a semi-responsible note, you shouldn't really use alcohol as an aid to figuring people out. I'm sure there are moral reasons not to . . . though . . . it really does work . . .

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chichiri decided that his best plan of action was to wait. So he waited. He thought up this brilliant plan about the same time he realized it was his only option. When he'd finally gotten to the hideout, the other bandits already had the victory celebration well under way. Kouji refused to leave his side until Chichiri was sitting firmly in a chair at the table. Tasuki was several seats away at the head of the table, thoroughly engaged in loud conversations and the consumption of as much alcohol as he could reach.

So Chichiri waited. He watched the bandits around him and listened to the boisterous voices. He'd learned long ago that he stood out far less in such an atmosphere if he was drinking as well. Even drunk, most people watched what they said around him, both because he appeared as a monk and because he appeared sober. If they saw him drinking, it shattered all those barriers and they treated him like any other man.

So Chichiri waited – and drank. He never actually let any of the liquid past his lips, but that wasn't what it looked like to the bandits. Several of the men offered to refill his cup, but they always had to stop when they saw it was already full. Chichiri grabbed one of the bottles often himself, going through the motions and making everyone think he was draining his glass repeatedly. He took his cues from the bandits, gradually acting the part of the drunk to match how far their own actions had slipped. Even if any of them were sober, they couldn't have known that he was.

After some time, the bandits started telling stories. Loud, obnoxious, mostly lewd stories. Chichiri just waited, listening and laughing at the ones that were actually funny as well as several that weren't. He watched Tasuki closely, trying to gain any hints from the man, but all he got were more stories. When the eyes turned to him, Chichiri quickly cobbled together a story to tell himself. He latched onto the first thing he thought of – the nyan he'd trained with – and immediately made up a ridiculous story that would have made no sense to any sober person.

"And they come out of nowhere, just, pop!" Chichiri accented this statement by 'popping' his hands out in front of him. He used the action to cover a quick glance around the table. Most of the bandits were either unconscious or staring at him with glazed expressions. Waiting was over; it was time to follow through. "I'm telling you-"he repeated through gasping giggles, "-pop!" He repeated the hand motion and threw himself backwards, toppling his chair over.

Alcohol numbed pain. Chichiri remembered this fact just in time to keep still at the sharp stab of pain that ricocheted through his leg and up through the rest of his body. He reached blindly back to the table, grabbing his still full cup in desperation. He barely had the control to spill the drink instead of swallowing. He had to be clear headed to deal with this and he knew with the pain in his leg, one cup wouldn't be enough.

Suddenly there were hands on his shoulders and Chichiri was smiling up at Tasuki as the bandit hauled him to his feet. "I think you need to get to bed, Chiri. You're hurt after all."

The fiery man was slurring his speech badly. Chichiri nodded, allowing himself to be lead through the winding hallways to the room he'd be staying in. He made no comment about the fact that he was supporting the other man when it was clearly meant to be the other way around. He doubted Tasuki even noticed.

When they reached the room and Tasuki moved towards the bed, Chichiri followed, letting the bandit slip out of his hold as he turned around. Alcohol also broke down inhibitions; Chichiri was planning to take very good advantage of that particular side effect. "Ta-kun," he started, slurring his own speech to avoid raising the bandit's defenses. "Why'd you leave me in that town before?"

For a minute Tasuki was silent, just looking at the monk. Slowly he stepped forward, resting one hand on his shoulder. "I didn't wanna lose ya, Chiri. So I had to leave."

Alcohol also robbed coherency. Chichiri held back a sigh, hoping he could get at least some information that made sense out of the man. "Ta-kun, I don't understand. That doesn't make sen-"

"I had to leave, 'cause I had to get you out of my head. I had to learn how to live without you again, 'cause then I could see you again and just be us, ya know?"

The bandit was practically nuzzling his chest now, and still not making much sense. Chichiri tried again. "Ta-kun, try to focus."

"No Da."

"Focus. You aren't making sense. Why did you have to leave?"

The bandit reached up, pinching delicate paper and pulling the mask away. "'Cause you'd leave if I didn't figure things out. If I didn't learn how to not do this."

Chichiri pulled back as Tasuki leaned into him, but the bandit had a tighter hold of him now. The monk found he was completely trapped as soft lips pressed firmly into his. A half memory of a kiss in the cave floated through Chichiri's mind. He'd been so certain he'd imagined it . . .

Tasuki stepped into him, pushing Chichiri against the wall, still kissing him. The monk struggled to push his friend away, but he was persistent. He was able to get one hand between them, grasping at Tasuki's shirt, but couldn't dislodge the man's weight. The bandit didn't make it any easier as he shifted, nibbling on the other's neck. One of his hands was tugging at the closure of the monk's shirt, gradually working inside, while the other rested on his thigh, trailing slow patterns that came dangerously close to certain areas.

Chichiri grunted, pushing his friend back with more strength. "Tasuki, stop. You're drunk-"

"Don't care. You're drunk too." The bandit reattached to Chichiri's mouth as his hands grew more forceful, dancing along his chest and waist now.

Chichiri fought to think of a way out of this. When he'd imagined this conversation earlier, the alcohol hadn't lead down this path; it wasn't something he was prepared for. A dozen spells ran through his mind, but he didn't want to hurt his friend, just get him to- "Stop!"

One of the bandit's hands finally slipped under his pants, making Chichiri yelp. The younger man twisted, tossing his prey onto the bed and leaning over him. His hands went right back to where they'd been and he started nibbling at his exposed chest eagerly. Chichiri's head spun for a moment, another stab of pain at the action making him see stars. He grabbed at his friend's shoulders again. "Stop, Tasuki!" When this still got no response, the monk settled on a spell to knock him out if his next words didn't work. "Stop or I'll leave."

For a second, there was no response, the words taking time to penetrate the sake. Then Tasuki stopped moving all together. He shifted suddenly, burying his face in the monk's chest and wrapping his arm's around his waist tight enough to make it hard to breathe. "Don't leave," he whispered almost frantically. "Don't leave, please. I'm sorry Chiri, I'm sorry."

Chichiri pushed against his friend's shoulders, still trying to get him to release his hold. "Let go, Tasuki."

He gasped when the man was suddenly not there. Tasuki was staring at the monk, wide-eyed. "Please don't leave, Chiri. I'm sorry. I'll leave . . . just . . . just please don't go." The man lurched to his feet, a sad smile on his lips as he moved towards the door. He paused at the doorway as if to say something, but after a moment he slipped into the hallway, silent.

Chichiri groaned, falling back onto the bed. That certainly didn't go well. He didn't have any answers and now there were a few new questions floating around in his mind. Kouji had clearly been right about his friend's strange attitude. Now all he had to do was figure out what to do.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chichiri was awake long before any of the Mt. Leikaku bandits and spent the early morning wandering the corridors. The various poses he found the men collapsed in were priceless and it made it worth missing out on the sake to be awake and see it. As the sun rose higher and life started to return to the place, Chichiri focused on finding Tasuki. Most likely he'd be in his room, but there was no guarantee, so he kept his eyes open as he made his way that direction.

The room was quiet when Chichiri slipped through the door. "Tasuki-kun?" he hazarded in the dark. Across the room he could see a dark shape shift. He could only assume it was Tasuki shifting around on the bed and he moved that direction. "Are you awake, no da?" The blob on the bed shifted again and groaned. Chichiri smiled, pulling the blankets away. "You want something to eat, na no da?"

Tasuki cracked one eye, glaring at the monk above him. "Food?"

Chichiri latched onto his arm, pulling him up. "Yes, food."

"M'head hurts, Chiri. Don wan food . . ." Chichiri shifted, suddenly holding a small cup out to his friend. "Wazzis?"

"Drink, no da."

The bandit sniffed at it suspiciously. "What izzit?"

Chichiri sighed a little. "As much as I hate to admit it, the best way to get over a hangover is to have a little sake in the morning, no da. Drink."

The redhead hesitated another moment before he smiled and took the cup. "That's what I'm talking about." He downed the shot quickly and then dissolved into coughs, shoving the cup back at his friend with a glare.

Chichiri just smiled. "And the second best way to get over a hangover is Taiitsukun's special remedy, na no da!"

"That was a dirty trick," Tasuki growled.

Chichiri chuckled, pulling Tasuki towards the door again. "Yes, but you love me anyway." He was met with complete silence at this and glanced at Tasuki. The bandit looked thoughtful, staring ahead silently. _Great, guess that wasn't the right thing to say._ "Tasuki-kun? Is something wrong, no da?"

"A-aa. It's nothing." He started walking again, but Chichiri held him back. "Chiri?"

"Tasuki-kun . . . can you answer a question, no da?" The bandit nodded hesitantly. "Do you remember what happened last night?"

The bandit gulped, paling slightly. "Some. Uh, how 'bout you?"

The older man hesitated. He could tell his friend the truth, but judging his current reaction, that seemed like a bad idea. It was obvious the bandit _did_ remember and was hoping Chichiri didn't. But if he lied and claimed to have forgotten, he couldn't get any answers. "I-" striking on sudden inspiration, the monk rubbed his wrist slightly. "I have a couple of bruises. I was wondering if you knew how I got them, no da."

The bandit paled further, not looking at the monk now. "I – uh – maybe you fell down or something. How's your leg?"

"Tasuki-" There was a slight whine in the monk's voice, but he couldn't think of another way to confront his friend. "It . . . it's fine. But it doesn't feel like I fell, Tasuki. Do you remember what happened or not?"

The bandit hesitated, his eyes falling further. "Yeah," he finally whispered, not wanting to admit it. "I remember. I don't know what to tell you. You did fall, that must be how you got bruised."

"I see."

Tasuki turned to the door, taking a step towards it again. "How 'bout that food?"

"Maybe I should leave."

The redhead was instantly frozen in place. After a second he turned back to look at Chichiri, his eyes somewhat too wide for his face. "You-you wanna leave?"

Chichiri moved back towards the bed, sitting gratefully and resting his leg. "No. I don't want to leave, Tasuki, but maybe I should." The bandit was still frozen several paces away, staring at him. "Tasuki, why did you leave me in that town?"

"You were hurt. I thought you should rest up before going anywhere." Chichiri was actually impressed – the man's voice hardly shook at all as he spoke.

"Tasuki, do you know how much I had to drink last night?"

For a minute he thought about it. "You musta gone through a couple bottles . . ." he hesitated, eyes widening more. "Oh god, you weren't drunk at all, were you?" Chichiri shook his head slowly and Tasuki buried his face in his hands, groaning loudly. "Maybe," he muttered through his fingers, "maybe you _should_ leave. I'm so sorry, Chiri."

For a long time they stayed where they were, Tasuki shaking slightly, hiding his face, and Chichiri sitting quietly on the bed. The monk finally spoke, watching the way Tasuki twitched at his voice. "If you weren't so far gone, you might have noticed I was pretending."

"No da," the redhead muttered miserably. "I should've noticed when you didn't even say it once. Chiri . . ."

"You also probably wouldn't have done any of what you did, if you hadn't been so far gone."

"I'm never drinking again, I swear it. I'm so, so sorry-"

"Tasuki, stop apologizing." The man's jaw clacked shut obediently. "You shouldn't stop drinking, Tasuki, just-"

"I almost raped you! Chichiri, after everything we've been through, how could I do something like that to you? I doubt there's a better reason to give up sake. How could I-"

"Tasuki, look at me." The man obeyed, finally lowering his arms and looking up. The bandit's eyes widened to see Chichiri's face, mask sitting mutely beside him. "I'm not going to stay here. I don't belong here." Tasuki nodded slightly as the monk continued. "But I won't leave yet, and I still want you to come with me."

Tasuki was beside him in three steps. He clasped one of the monk's hands in his own, holding it to his forehead gingerly. "Please don't leave, Chiri. I know I'm not Kouran, I know I'm not even Hikou, but-"

"What does Kouran have to do with this?" Chichiri asked, honestly shocked.

Tasuki released his hand, staring down at the sheets. "I don't want to lose you, Chiri. I'm happy to just be a friend, I know I can't meet what you had with her, but if you're willing to just let me stay with you, that's enough."

Chichiri looked at his friend a moment, stunned silent at his words. Slowly he reached out, one hand resting against a tan cheek and lifting the other's gaze. "I never want to replace Kouran; I don't think it could be done. But I wouldn't have followed you here if I didn't want to be with you, Tasuki-kun. No one could replace you, either."

"Chiri, I-"

The monk leaned forward, gently kissing the bandit's forehead. "No more apologizing. And I don't want you to stop drinking, just . . . maybe you could not get drunk? At least, until I'm ready to deal with that?"

Tasuki moved slowly this time, both hands cupping Chichiri's face and pulling him into a gentle kiss. This time the monk gave no resistance. When the redhead pulled away he was blushing, a small smile on his lips. He stood, hand sliding down to grasp Chichiri's and pull him upright. "Shall we get some breakfast, then?"

"Lunch, you mean, no da," Chichiri said with a laugh. "And I'd love to."

-o-o-o-o-o-

**A / N: **The end! Yay, so cute and fluffy! I'm glad I finally got this finished at last, I do like it. Thank you all for reading! Much love and all that other good stuff.


End file.
